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BIOGRAPHIES
 Source:
History of Perry County
by Clement L. Martzolff
Published by Ward & Weiland, New Lexington,
Ohio
Columbus, Ohio - Press of Fred J. Heer -
1902
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STEPHEN
BENTON ELKINS. It is said that great men come
from the hills. If this statement were doubted, the
incredulous would only need to glance over history of
southern Ohio and be convinced. With Somerset as the
center, there can be found within a radius of fifty miles,
the birthplaces of more men of eminence than in any similar
area in the United States.
Perry county has furnished her quota in this array of
celebrities. The men and women who braved the terrors
of frontier life, to build for themselves homes in a new
land were of a hardy and thrifty character. Their
children schooled in this "rough and ready" life, developed
the iron nerve and the conservative temperament, that makes
a master of situations.
From the rude homesteads on the hill-side farms of old
Perry, have gone out into the various avenues of life, men,
who have been the progressive factors in the building up of
many settlements in the great west and southwest.
While they may not have attained to such a high eminence as
some, yet they have filled their places and deserve no less
credit for what they have done. It is with some degree
of pride that we claim for Perry county, the birthplace of
Stephen Benton Elkins. He was born on a farm
about three miles southeast of Thornville, in Section 13,
Thorn township, September 26, 1841. His early years
were spent here. Moving with his parents to Missouri,
he partly educated himself in the public schools. At
the age of only nineteen he graduated from the University of
the State, with first honors. He then studied law.
He was admitted to the bar in 1863, joined the Union army,
and served in the rank of Captain. Crossing the plains
to New Mexico in 1864, he determined to win success in that
sparsely settled border county. Seeing that his
ignorance of Spanish would be in the way of his ambition, he
set to work and in one year was master of it. His
clientage rapidly grew, and his popularity with it.
For in less than two years after his arrival, he was elected
to the territorial legislature. The next year he was
made Attorney-General of the territory. The succeeding
year President Johnson appointed him United States District
Attorney for New Mexico. While occupying this position
it became his duty to see that the law forbidding slavery
should be enforced. This he did in such a decisive
manner that it gave him greater prestige than ever. In
1869 he went into the banking business, thus beginning his
phenomenal career as a financier. Investing his money
judiciously in lands and mines, he became immensely wealthy.
In 1873 he was elected Delegate to Congress from New Mexico
and in 1875 he was re-elected.
While in Congress, Mr. Elkins was married to a
daughter of Senator Henry G. Davis of West Virginia.
In 1878, leaving New Mexico, he went to West Virginia, where
he began the development of coal lands. He gave up the
active practice of law and devoted his time entirely to the
management of his business interests. While he has
become a millionaire, himself, yet he has done an
immeasurable amount of good to the people of his adopted
state, by causing the investment of capital. In 1891
President Harrison appointed him Secretary of War,
and in 1895 he was elected United States Senator, which
position he yet holds.
He lives in a beautiful country home, "Halliehurst," at
Elkins, Randolph county, West Virginia. This four
story mansion stands on a mountain side of unusual beauty.
It commands a magnificent view of the valley beneath
and the forest and mountain peaks which frame the scene.
In this magnificent home he spends his leisure among his
books and friends. In addition to his many business
duties he has not failed to drink at learning's fount, to
become conversant with the best literature, and to make of
himself a cultured gentleman in every respect. He is a
man of strong and sturdy build, is more than six feet in
height, has firm features, and a large head set firmly on
his shoulders.
Perry county has no reason to be ashamed of Stephen
Benton Elkins, lawyer, financier, statesman and
gentleman.
Source: History of Perry County,
Ohio - Published by Ward & Weiland, New
Lexington, Ohio - Columbus, Ohio - Press of Fred J. Heer -
1902 - Page 144 |
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